Adjustable tensioning device for frameless window screens



Aug. 21, 1956 J. H. JENSEN ADJUSTABLE TENSIONING DEVICE FOR FRAMELESSWINDOW SCREENS Filed April 19, 1954 INVENTOR 1/22 01 H Jensen mmwmATTORNEYS.

United States Patent ADJUSTABLE TENSIONING DEVICE FOR FRAlVIE- LESSWINDOW SCREENS Jack H. Jensen, San Leandro, Calif, assignor to Ry -LockCompany, Ltd., San Leandro, Calif., a corporation 0 CaliforniaApplication April 19, 1954, Serial No. 424,058

1 Claim. (Cl. 160-328) This invention relates in general to framelesswindow screens, and in particular is directed to, and it is a ma orobject to provide, a novel mounting bracket unit for the cam lever of atensioning and hold-down device for a screen of such type.

In certain prior devices vertical adjustment of the cam lever, for thepurpose of increasing the tension on the screen to compensate forstretch, was accomplished by adjusting a lever mounting bracket securedby a wood screw to the side of the window frame; the bracket having beenslotted for reception of the screw and to permit of such adjustment uponloosening of said screw. This was not entirely satisfactory, since thescrewespecially after being loosened and retightened several timeswouldlose its firm hold in the wood; sometimes resulting in the bracketslipping upwardly, with loss of the tension on the screen.

It is therefore another important object of this invention to provide amounting bracket unit, for a screen tensioning and hold-down cam lever,which permits of vertical adjustment of such lever without requiringloosening of the wood screw which attaches the bracket unit to thewindow frame, and once installed on the latter said bracket need neverbe moved.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket unit,as in the preceding paragraph, wherein the cam lever is verticallyadjustably secured to the bracket by means which assures against anyupward vertical movement of said cam lever from any selected position ofadjustment.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mounting bracketunit, for the purpose described, which is designed for ease and economyof manufacture, a simplicity of initial installation, and convenience ofadjustment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracketunit which is practical, reliable, and durable, and one which will beexceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary inside elevation of a frameless window screenand window frame and a tensioning device mounted in cooperative relationtherewith and which includes the improved adjustable lever mountingbracket unit; the lever being shown in its screen releasing position.

Fig. 2 is a front or face view of said unit, the screen being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the frameless window screen 1 is suspended, as usual, from thetop of the window 2,759,536 Patented Aug. 21, 1956 "ice I frame 2 in anysuitable manner, and at its side edges abuts the jambs or blind stops 3of the frame 2.

The screen, along the bottom, is secured to a rigid depending cross barunit 4 which, when the screen is in place and properly tensioned, bearsalong its lower edge on the window sill 5.

Adjacent each side of the window frame, a screen tensioning device islocated. Such device comprises an elongated box-like bracket 6 ofrectangular channel form in plan, as shown in Fig. 4, and which includesa front wall 7.

At its upper end, the bracket is provided with an upstanding flange 8adapted to abut against the blind stop 4 and to be secured thereto by ascrew 9. This screw is the only one needed to hold the bracket in place,since the front wall 7 is formed, at its lower end, with dependingprongs 10 which are driven into the sill, as shown in Fig. 2, before thescrew 9 is mounted.

Projecting forwardly through a vertical slot 11, in the front wall 7 ofthe bracket, is a vertical ear 12 on which a cam lever 13 is pivoted.This lever is arranged, at its lower end, to overhang and cooperate witha horizontal catch channel 14 mounted on the cross bar 4 of the screenat a level such as to cause the bar to be lowered and the screentensioned upon downward movement of the cam lever from a verticalposition.

The ear 12, inside the bracket, is secured to an elongated upstandingbar or strap 15 slidably engaged between the side walls of the bracketand formed, at its ends, with right angle flanges 16 projecting awayfrom the front wall 7 and terminating at their rear ends in flat pads orfeet 17 adapted to slidably engage the blind stop 3.

Freely projecting through the top wall 18 of the bracket and threadedthrough the top-flange 16 is a vertical screw 19 held against axialmovement in wall 18 by the head 20 of the screw above said wall, and anut 21 on the screw below said wall.

By turning screw 19 one way or the other, therefore, the car 12 (andconsequently the cam lever 13) will be raised or lowered as may benecessary to locate the lever for the proper tensioning of the screen;the length of slot 11 relative to the height of the car being, ofcourse, sufiicient to permit of such movement of the ear 12.

By reason of the above described mounting of the ear 12, the latter isheld in a stable manner, and any tendency to upward movement and tiltingof the ear (due to the engagement of the cam lever 13 with channel 14)is accompanied by a frictional contact of one end of bar 15 with thefront wall 7, and by frictional contact of the opposite end foot 17 withthe blind stop.

No appreciable strains are placed on the screw and there is no tendencyfor the same to turn of itself to effect the setting of the ear.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

In a device for tensioning a screen in a window frame, a cam lever whoseswinging movement in a vertical plane tensions the screen, and an car onwhich the lever is mounted, the window frame including a vertical blindstop and a bottom sill; means to mount the ear in connection with thewindow frame for vertical adjustment and including a vertical elongatedbracket of rectangular form in cross section and having sidewalls, afront wall,

and a top wall, means to secure the bracket on the window frame with thebottom and back edges of the sidewalls in contact With the sill andblind stop respectively, the front Wall having a verticalelongated slotthrough which the ear projects in Vertically s'lidable' e1atiet1',-alllfifl" ber attached to the ear Within the bracket and Verticallyslidable 'therein, a'nd a Vertical axially immovable adjuse nient screwprojecting downwardl thr ugh and't rnebl'e ifi'the top Wall of thebracket and threaded into said member; said member comprising a straplonger than the height of the ear and substantially the Width of thebracket between the sidewans and dis osed adjacent the front wall,flanges on the strapat its ends pfejeeting' away from said front wall,the screw being threaded through the top flange, and vertical feet onthe flanges at their free rear end substantially slidably engaging theblind stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1',074, 584 Butler Sept. 30, 1913 2,013,500 OCoiifldr se t. 3, 1935 2,185,082Hooks Dec. 26, 1939 2,267,462 Hollaend'e'r Dee. 23, 1941 2,638,163 RustMay 12, 1953 2,678,691 Rust May" '18, 1954

